Sugar Grove Area News in Brief

December 6, 2013

Article Photos

Preparing for Christmas WalkPete Glotz, on ladder, PNC, AMVETS Commander Gary Fry, Mayor Dutch Strand and Councilman/Mayor Elect Pete Allenson help hang the new holiday lights throughout town. The new decorations are snowflakes and Christmas bows. Be advised to stay to the edges of the town park to avoid damage to electrical cords while snowmobiling through park. Other elf helpers missing from photo are Paul Tutmaher and Jerry Rouse.

Choir tour and concertThe EMHS students in the ensemble Reflections will sing for Russell and Sugar Grove elementary schools as well as for senior citizens this coming Wednesday. This group will also sing for the EMHS Choir Holiday Concert on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Warren State Hospital Interfaith Chapel. Pictured here are choir students L to R Row1: Naomi Haight, Megan Hitchcock, Mariette Williams, Lauren Hitchcock; Row 2: Shelby Willis, Sierra Lange, Laura Courson; Row 3: Kirsten Baran, Sharon Harrington Missing from photo: Sarah Dietsch.

The Youth Connection, the musical theater group from Struthers Library Theater for area students in grades 9-12, will be performing this year at the annual "Prelude to Christmas" music program at Hessel Valley Lutheran Church on Sunday, Dec. 8th at 3 p.m.. The whole community is welcome to come. Please stay after the program for a delicious selection of homemade Christmas cookies. The cost is a free will donation.

Sugar Grove Christmas

The Sugar Grove Community will hold their 5th Annual Christmas Walk this year on Friday, Dec. 13th , from 5 p.m. 7 p.m. There will be live music throughout the town and well as many activities. Our stores will be open and local organization will be participating, each with it's own activities or events including living windows, live nativity scenes, art exhibits, costume characters, face painting, contests and drawings at participating merchants, Christmas cookies everywhere you look, donut making, treat bags and hot beverages, hay rides, live animals and much more. Mrs. Santa will host a reading at the Sugar Grove Library with crafts for children to make with hot chocolate and outside marshmallow fire roasting. See the listing below for details of happenings at each location.

Of course, a Christmas event is not complete without the arrival of Santa. He will be coming to the park with the help of our local fire department at exactly 5 p.m. Be on hand in the park to see his official arrival. Flyers are located in the Sugar Grove businesses so pick one up with your map of activities for the evening. Mark your calendar and plan no matter what the weather to dress warm and come on out to celebrate the holiday in Sugar Grove.

Thank You to all the merchants and local groups listed below that have volunteered to provide special events throughout town for the evening. During the evening you will find: The AMVETS Post #50 and AMVETS Auxiliary with a hot dog stand in the town park and many of them dressed up in costume characters helping with the arrival of Santa Claus, Hebner's Town Styling will have refreshments and specials with stocking stuffers, McKinney's Funeral Home will have window displays, Wilcox Brothers will have a number of activities happening in the center of town. There will be special drawings and refreshments along with the EMHS and SGES Elem School art work displayed throughout the store. They will also have a barbershop quartet and Catering Plus will be on hand to have a homemade cookies decorating display in the store. The American Legion Post #758 and Julie Greenman Photography will both have window displays at Wilcox Brothers. The EMHS orchestra and EHS choir students will provide music both inside and on the outside deck. The Warren County Dairy Princess and the Bear Lake Church will also both provide refreshments on the outside deck locations. Darlings Pharmacy will have hot chocolate, coffee, cookies and a children's coloring contest through Dec.. Their drawing will be held at 6:30 p.m. Town and Country Food Center will have treats, face painting and temporary tattoos. The Bucket Cafe will have treat bags and holiday painted windows and the Free Methodist Church will be singing outside the Bucket Caf. Linda's Floral will be providing refreshments. The Outpost will be having a living window display and refreshments. The Sugar Grove Soft Serve will have a spin the wheel game to win Christmas in July treats. Bob's Discount Foods will have hot mulled cider and Christmas cookies and a drawing to win a box of food worth $100.00. The United Methodist Church will have the sidewalk triangle lit with their luminaries and the church educational center will be open with refreshments. New Beginnings will have a gift card drawing. Schuylers will be serving hot drinks, PNC Bank will have cookies outside the bank, the Sugar Grove Free Library will be hosting their Mrs. Claus event, with the EHS Orchestra playing inside from 5-6 p.m. Bill Gourley will be providing free hayrides throughout the borough, the SGVFD will assist Santa with his arrival and the Fire Hall will also have home made donuts and cider during the evening. They are also having a house lighting contest and a Chinese Auction. The Laundromat will have a drawing for children and the Presbyterian Church will be serving home made cookies. Again, Thank You to all those who work hard to make this a special evening during our holiday season.

Community Lunches

The Community Lunches in the area continue to be well attended. All lunches begin at 11:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend any or all of the area Community lunches. Each month lunch is held on the 1st Friday of the month at the Mission Covenant Church at the corner of Matthews Run and Jackson Run Road. On the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church located at the corner of Race Street and Jamestown Street in the center of town. On the 3rd Wednesday of the month at the Hessel Valley Lutheran Church located in Chandlers Valley. Everyone is invited to attend.

Chick-A-Dee Day Care

The Chick-A-Dee Day Care has new openings for children ages newborn to 5 years of age. There focus is to provide a home-like environment that will nurture and stimulate early care and education experiences which promote each child's social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development. We are committed to the families we serve providing support and encouragement as they raise their children. There are full time and part time openings for additional enrollment. The facility is operated by the Sugar Grove Free Methodist Church which has been granted a license by the State of Pennsylvania for day care services. For more information on how to enroll, contact the center at 489-3105.

WCSD Schedule

The Warren County School District be on Christmas Break from Monday, Dec. 23, through Jan. 1. School will resume on Thursday, Jan. 2.

Red Kettle Campaign

The local churches will once again be ringing the bell for the local Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign throughout the holiday season. The kettle will once again be located outside of the Town and Country Food Center. Each weekend the Kettle was manned by volunteers. The Red Kettle Campaign helps raise donations for those who need it most by providing toys for kids, coats for the homeless, food for the hungry, and countless other programs. Local volunteers will begin ringing this weekend and continue each weekend through Christmas eve. Please stop by and support the area Salvation army.

Food Pantry

The Sugar Grove Free Methodist Church located at 210 Jamestown Street is the host site for the Northern part of Warren County for this program. Second Harvest is the major supplier of food to charitable agencies throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania. They obtain products from the organization's warehouse and distribute them to individuals and families facing hard times in 11 counties. The next Second Harvest Mobile Food Pantry will be held on Saturday, Dec.21st opening at 8 a.m. The local Sugar Grove food pantry is in need of canned soup and other various canned goods. If you would like to make a donation, you can drop it off at the Sugar Grove Free Methodist Church.

Winter Sports Season

The start of the Eisenhower Knights winter sports season is here and the teams have been hard at work practicing for weeks. The Girls and Boy Basketball teams have been holding scrimmage games this week and preparing for their first regular season games happening Friday, Dec. 6th. They will both open their seasons with match ups at the Sheffield Tournament this weekend. The Knights Wrestling Team will start their season against Corry on Dec. 10th.

Creative Card Class

Sugar Grove Free Library will hold their next monthly Creative Card Class on Monday, Dec. 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. The class will be creating two Christmas cards. Cost for the class is $8 Save the date to join us for some creative fun no "experience necessary". Please contact the Sugar Grove Free Library at 489-7872 or via email at sgfreelibrary@gmail.com for more information, sign-up and small supplies needed list. Looking for a unique Birthday or Christmas card or special gift? Stop in to Sugar Grove Free Library and check-out the handcrafted greeting cards. Available in 5-card gift packs for $10 each or individual cards for $3 each.

Book Club

The January's choice for the Sugar Grove Fre Library Book club is selected by Marjean Hawkins is a book by Lenore Skomal called Third Willow. Lenore Skomal is an author from Erie. The library has arranged for her to participate in book discussion by Skype or in person, if the weather is nice. Copies of the book are currently available at the library. The meeting will be January 27th. Call the library if you have any questions on participating in the SGFL book club.

Holiday sale

The Chandlers Valley United Methodist Church on Jackson Run in Chandlers Valley is having a Rummage Sale, Bake Sale, Food & Gift Sale on Saturday, Dec. 7, from 9 a.m. 2 p.m.

Santa Sale

The popular Sugar Grove Elementary School Santa Sale will be happening on Dec. 10 and 11. See your information coming home from school if your students want to be prepared to shop at the fun Santa Sale.

Choir Tour

and Concerts

The EMHS students in the chorus ensemble Reflections will tour the area to sing for the Russell and Sugar Grove Elementary Schools as well as for senior citizens this coming Wednesday. This group will also sing for the EMHS Choir Holiday Concert held on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. at the Warren State Hospital Interfaith Chapel. The snow date will be Dec. 20th. Our EMHS choirs are under the direction of Denise Pearson.